1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for the generation of electrical energy from an external source of forced air and in particular, to an apparatus that generates electrical energy while minimizing the additional load placed on the external source of forced air.
2. Description of the Related Art
Large forced air systems have an advantage for generating “wind” driven electricity in that they run almost continuously and in particular run continuously during peak hot hours and seasons when electrical demand is at its highest. In addition, large forced air systems are scaled for driving large airflow masses with air velocities that commonly exceed twenty (20) miles per hour. As is well known, air stream speed is an important baseline factor for electricity generation using turbines. The airflow for turbine generators has to be at a sufficient minimum velocity to efficiently power the generator. The high-speed airflow of many large forced air systems exceed the minimum air speed required for most generation systems.
Generator systems in-line with air conduits most commonly low speed hot air exhaust systems associated with electronics. These systems have the detraction that any in-line generator system contained within a conduit interrupts the air flow in the conduit and causes an increase in load on the pressure source in order to maintain the proper cooling flow. An apparatus and method for co-generation are needed that can generate electrical power from the externally directed forced air stream of forced air systems without additionally impacting the power demand of those systems. It is a further advantage that when these forced air systems are functioning at high capacity during periods of high demand, the present disclosure provides an apparatus and method to return generated power to the power source of the structure or building, for example, to reduce the load demanded by the structure during the peak period.